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Twisted #1
Twisted Love
From New York Times bestselling author and BookTok sensation Ana Huang comes a billionaire brother's best friend romance!
He has a heart of ice…but for her, he'd burn the world
A diverse new adult steamy romance from Tiktok sensation and USA Today bestselling author Ana Huang.
Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.
Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.
But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:
A crack.
A melt.
A fire that could end his world as he knew it.
***
Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can't remember.
But despite her broken past, she's never stopped seeing the beauty in the world...including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn't want.
Her brother's best friend.
Her neighbor.
Her savior and her downfall.
Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen-but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both...and everything they hold dear.
Twisted Love is a contemporary brother's best friend/grumpy sunshine romance. It's book one in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.
He has a heart of ice…but for her, he'd burn the world
A diverse new adult steamy romance from Tiktok sensation and USA Today bestselling author Ana Huang.
Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and cursed with a past he can't escape.
Driven by a tragedy that has haunted him for most of his life, his ruthless pursuits for success and vengeance leave little room for matters of the heart.
But when he's forced to look after his best friend's sister, he starts to feel something in his chest:
A crack.
A melt.
A fire that could end his world as he knew it.
***
Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can't remember.
But despite her broken past, she's never stopped seeing the beauty in the world...including the heart beneath the icy exterior of a man she shouldn't want.
Her brother's best friend.
Her neighbor.
Her savior and her downfall.
Theirs is a love that was never supposed to happen-but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both...and everything they hold dear.
Twisted Love is a contemporary brother's best friend/grumpy sunshine romance. It's book one in the Twisted series but can be read as a standalone.
343 pages, Paperback
First published April 21, 2021
76.1k people are currently reading
693k people want to read
About the author
Ana Huang
34 books120k followersAna Huang is a #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, #1 Sunday Times, and #1 Amazon bestselling author. Best known for her Twisted series, she writes New Adult and contemporary romance with deliciously alpha heroes, strong heroines, and plenty of steam, angst, and swoon.
Her books have been translated in thirty languages and featured in outlets such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, NPR, Cosmopolitan, and PEOPLE magazine.
A self-professed travel enthusiast, she loves incorporating beautiful destinations into her stories and will never say no to a good chai latte.
STALK ANA ONLINE:
Newsletter signup ↠ https://anahuang.com/newsletter
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Bookbub ↠ https://tinyurl.com/yc5mxnp9
Instagram ↠ https://tinyurl.com/ydhv9rfg
Website ↠ www.anahuang.com
TikTok ↠ https://tinyurl.com/2p99t9u6
Facebook ↠ https://tinyurl.com/y87fw8wq
UPCOMING RELEASE:
FULL LIST OF BOOKS:
GODS OF THE GAME SERIES
KINGS OF SIN SERIES
TWISTED SERIES
IF LOVE SERIES
Her books have been translated in thirty languages and featured in outlets such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, NPR, Cosmopolitan, and PEOPLE magazine.
A self-professed travel enthusiast, she loves incorporating beautiful destinations into her stories and will never say no to a good chai latte.
STALK ANA ONLINE:
Newsletter signup ↠ https://anahuang.com/newsletter
Reader group ↠ https://tinyurl.com/anastwistedsquad
Bookbub ↠ https://tinyurl.com/yc5mxnp9
Instagram ↠ https://tinyurl.com/ydhv9rfg
Website ↠ www.anahuang.com
TikTok ↠ https://tinyurl.com/2p99t9u6
Facebook ↠ https://tinyurl.com/y87fw8wq
UPCOMING RELEASE:
FULL LIST OF BOOKS:
GODS OF THE GAME SERIES
KINGS OF SIN SERIES
TWISTED SERIES
IF LOVE SERIES
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 118,265 reviews
September 1, 2023
2.75 stars ✩⋆
when i saw that this book has groveling, best friend's brother, grumpy/sunshine trope, touch her and i'll kill you, i hate everyone but you, a bed-sharing scene, great friend group, and revenge plan (???), i ran so fast and downloaded this real quick. plus, this was being hyped in booktok so might as well read it.
i don't know why but this book just made me evaluate my life- myself. why do you ask? well, WARNING FOR NON ROMANCE READERS THIS ⤵ QUOTE IS SPICY OK BYE :
and at first i was like
because there's things you need to know about me when it comes to my taste for irl men:
and normally, my attitude is why do men but when i read this? i don't know myself anymore.
i don't know what came over me but suddenly i... i um.. that quote above... i LiKe it... so if you know me, no you don't.
but anyways, going back to the book, i like both Ava (h) and Alex (H) as individual characters. Alex is literally THE definition of a "fictional character" because that man is too perfect. basically, he has an IQ of 160, created a software thingy that made him a multimillionaire in high school and became the COO of a real estate agent development or something and has Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory aaand knows Krav Maga AAAND apparently fucks like a porn star? i-
that's too much perfection ma'am.
i thought Ava and her friend group were also fucking perfect because
can i be a part of this fictional friend group pls and thx.
i thought the romance was cute in the beginning. usually, in a brother's best friend book the girl is always pining for the guy while the guy plays a martyr act and becomes a ho to "push" the girl away even though he has feelings for her. i'm glad that's not the case here and love the fact that Ava was even a little indifferent towards him at first. and honestly? the smut scenes were kinda hot.
overall, this is a very chill book. at least for me. though there are some tw (spoilers) // parental deaths, violence, and child abuse
-`,✎ WHY NOT A HIGHER RATING?
➳ since uh, when?
i really did think the romance and the whole Operation Emotion thing in the beginning was cute, though, their feelings for one another went from 0 to 100 very fast because Alex really went from not caring that Ava was having a nightmare and acting all cold and "heartless" to:
i only sensed attraction but i didn't get the feeling they were already at the "she's mine, he's mine" stage. one chapter he's acting all nonchalant and cold and then in the next he “desires” her and tells us how badly he wants her and i was like bish when? most of the things he talked about in his pov was about his revenge and a little bit of attraction and with ava's pov it was all the operation emotion so them having intense feelings for one another felt kinda quick.
their banter was cute the scenes were cute but personally it wasn’t enough for me to be convinced with his new macho man personality towards her. there wasn’t enough depth to be honest. like i didnt get the vibes he cared enough for her to call her “his” because even when he saw her having night terrors in the beginning, i got the vibes he didnt care for her that much and still acted like she was a nuisance.
➳ telling >>> showing
when they got together after the first time they had sex there was a lot of telling >>> showing of how they are as a couple and that really bugs me because i'm the type of person who wants to know everything. apparently, they went on dates, alex was suddenly making jokes (?), and they talk through the night but because of the 0 to 100 energy and telling >>> showing, I. STILL. DONT. SEE. THEM. DOING. ALL. THAT. like- what do they even talk about?? and because of this, i wasn't really convinced with their “love”, i just didnt feel it because
i wanted all the details of how they are as a couple and we didn't really get that. once they have sex, most of the romance were written in the inner monologue and it's mainly because the last half focused more on the revenge plot. also, even the the grovelling was telling >>> showing. noo, i need more.
➳ Vicious reincarnated
no, but everyone is right tho- i can definitely see the Vicious in Alex. he likes fucking classy women, has insomnia, and has a revenge plan that includes the heroine. i see no difference.
➳ OW drama
don't worry, it's nothing bad but i just find it icky when Alex says that the OW fucks like a porn star or when he was about to go on a "date" with the OW (don't worry, Ava ruined his plans) or when the OW says this to Ava's face:
and then Ava thinks this is hot. personally, if someone says this to my face about the guy i'm into, i will dip because that's an ick for me (please blame my virgo sun and my high standards). you're telling me you're gonna fuck your girl the same way you've fucked your past hookups? ew no thx.
-`,✎ OVERALL THOUGHTS
again, i thought the romance was cute but it was just ok. the first half was full of cute moments but the last half kinda went down with all the telling >>> showing and i was kinda disappointed with the groveling because of this. like- you're just gonna describe how Alex has grovelled for a YEAR in just a page? no ma'am i want to see everything. also, i wanted more scenes of them of how they are as a couple because i just don't see Alex being all soft towards Ava.
i'm excited for the next book, aka Bridget's book tho! i love the whole princess/bodyguard, forbidden trope. plus, her future mans name is RHYS. that name will forever be sacred so this fictional man who has the privilege of being named after that sacred name better live up to my high af standards.
»»━━ Twisted series ━━««
#1: twisted love — ava x alex ➳ 2.75 stars
#2: twisted games — bridget x rhys ➳ tbr
#3: twisted hate — jules x josh ➳ tbr
#4: twisted lies — stella x christian ➳ tbr
when i saw that this book has groveling, best friend's brother, grumpy/sunshine trope, touch her and i'll kill you, i hate everyone but you, a bed-sharing scene, great friend group, and revenge plan (???), i ran so fast and downloaded this real quick. plus, this was being hyped in booktok so might as well read it.
i don't know why but this book just made me evaluate my life- myself. why do you ask? well, WARNING FOR NON ROMANCE READERS THIS ⤵ QUOTE IS SPICY OK BYE :
"And your pussy is mine. Every inch of you belongs to me, and if you ever let another man touch you- he'll end up in pieces, and you'll end up tied to my bed and fucked in every hole until my name is the only one you remember. Do you understand?"
and at first i was like
because there's things you need to know about me when it comes to my taste for irl men:
1. i hate bossy men (pls- i'm bossy enough as it is)
2. toxic? i rebuke this negative energy.
3. if you threaten to kill someone if they so much as touch me, therapy or 911?
4. if you call me questionable nicknames while having sex, BYE ✋
and normally, my attitude is why do men but when i read this? i don't know myself anymore.
i don't know what came over me but suddenly i... i um.. that quote above... i LiKe it... so if you know me, no you don't.
but anyways, going back to the book, i like both Ava (h) and Alex (H) as individual characters. Alex is literally THE definition of a "fictional character" because that man is too perfect. basically, he has an IQ of 160, created a software thingy that made him a multimillionaire in high school and became the COO of a real estate agent development or something and has Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory aaand knows Krav Maga AAAND apparently fucks like a porn star? i-
that's too much perfection ma'am.
i thought Ava and her friend group were also fucking perfect because
✧ Bridget is a literal princess (i'm not joking)
✧ Jules is jessica rabbit (??) apparently (also, fingers cross for a Jules and Josh book)
✧ Stella is this influencer who has 400k followers (???)
can i be a part of this fictional friend group pls and thx.
i thought the romance was cute in the beginning. usually, in a brother's best friend book the girl is always pining for the guy while the guy plays a martyr act and becomes a ho to "push" the girl away even though he has feelings for her. i'm glad that's not the case here and love the fact that Ava was even a little indifferent towards him at first. and honestly? the smut scenes were kinda hot.
overall, this is a very chill book. at least for me. though there are some tw (spoilers) // parental deaths, violence, and child abuse
-`,✎ WHY NOT A HIGHER RATING?
➳ since uh, when?
i really did think the romance and the whole Operation Emotion thing in the beginning was cute, though, their feelings for one another went from 0 to 100 very fast because Alex really went from not caring that Ava was having a nightmare and acting all cold and "heartless" to:
"She was mine. She just didn't know it yet. I hadn't known it myself until I saw her in Colton's arms and every instinct raged at me to tear her away. To claim what belonged to me."
i only sensed attraction but i didn't get the feeling they were already at the "she's mine, he's mine" stage. one chapter he's acting all nonchalant and cold and then in the next he “desires” her and tells us how badly he wants her and i was like bish when? most of the things he talked about in his pov was about his revenge and a little bit of attraction and with ava's pov it was all the operation emotion so them having intense feelings for one another felt kinda quick.
their banter was cute the scenes were cute but personally it wasn’t enough for me to be convinced with his new macho man personality towards her. there wasn’t enough depth to be honest. like i didnt get the vibes he cared enough for her to call her “his” because even when he saw her having night terrors in the beginning, i got the vibes he didnt care for her that much and still acted like she was a nuisance.
➳ telling >>> showing
when they got together after the first time they had sex there was a lot of telling >>> showing of how they are as a couple and that really bugs me because i'm the type of person who wants to know everything. apparently, they went on dates, alex was suddenly making jokes (?), and they talk through the night but because of the 0 to 100 energy and telling >>> showing, I. STILL. DONT. SEE. THEM. DOING. ALL. THAT. like- what do they even talk about?? and because of this, i wasn't really convinced with their “love”, i just didnt feel it because
i wanted all the details of how they are as a couple and we didn't really get that. once they have sex, most of the romance were written in the inner monologue and it's mainly because the last half focused more on the revenge plot. also, even the the grovelling was telling >>> showing. noo, i need more.
➳ Vicious reincarnated
no, but everyone is right tho- i can definitely see the Vicious in Alex. he likes fucking classy women, has insomnia, and has a revenge plan that includes the heroine. i see no difference.
➳ OW drama
don't worry, it's nothing bad but i just find it icky when Alex says that the OW fucks like a porn star or when he was about to go on a "date" with the OW (don't worry, Ava ruined his plans) or when the OW says this to Ava's face:
"Alex doesn’t do either of those things. It’s well known amongst a certain segment of D.C.’s female population. No kissing, no face-to-face contact during sex. But he will take you from behind. Choke and fuck you till you see stars. Call you the filthiest names and treat you like a slut."
and then Ava thinks this is hot. personally, if someone says this to my face about the guy i'm into, i will dip because that's an ick for me (please blame my virgo sun and my high standards). you're telling me you're gonna fuck your girl the same way you've fucked your past hookups? ew no thx.
-`,✎ OVERALL THOUGHTS
again, i thought the romance was cute but it was just ok. the first half was full of cute moments but the last half kinda went down with all the telling >>> showing and i was kinda disappointed with the groveling because of this. like- you're just gonna describe how Alex has grovelled for a YEAR in just a page? no ma'am i want to see everything. also, i wanted more scenes of them of how they are as a couple because i just don't see Alex being all soft towards Ava.
i'm excited for the next book, aka Bridget's book tho! i love the whole princess/bodyguard, forbidden trope. plus, her future mans name is RHYS. that name will forever be sacred so this fictional man who has the privilege of being named after that sacred name better live up to my high af standards.
»»━━ Twisted series ━━««
#1: twisted love — ava x alex ➳ 2.75 stars
#2: twisted games — bridget x rhys ➳ tbr
#3: twisted hate — jules x josh ➳ tbr
#4: twisted lies — stella x christian ➳ tbr
August 5, 2022
OH BOYYYYYYY! LET'S GOOOOOOOO
Let me hype myself up before I write this one.
Another absurdly overhyped book. Everyone tells me this series is good and the later books are better. I don't doubt it. I don't think Ana is a bad writer, her writing is tolerable and sometimes even enjoyable. Can't say the same thing for her characters.
NOTHING in this book or even it's cover are congruent. Ana thought it would be fun to attempt every single trope in the history of the universe with a single story, so you can't really tell if this is a romcom, a dark romance or just a joke.
You get brother's best friend, neighbor, nightmare tropes, who did this to you, my parents died or tried to kill me, ex psycho boyfriend, billionaire CEO who doesn't date, grumpy-sunshine, family members who want to steal your money and not a single one of these were executed properly. I honestly felt like I was watching a Spanish telenovela.
However, I HAVE TO MENTION the best trope of all. The one that brought tears to my eyes. The "I AM NOT LIKE OTHER GUYS!!!!!" but I will talk exactly like Christian Grey every time I get the chance. (so he kind is like one guy)
Alex, our main character. CEO, billionaire, with an IQ of 190, hates beer, he is not scared of anything, not even bears. Won't kiss during sex, because he hates intimacy. He hates birthdays because everyone has one. He thinks everyone wants him for his magnificent shlong. He has been controlling his family's company since he was 14, because he was always knew he would be CEO one day and his uncle would listen to his 14 YEAR OLD DEMANDS. He also slut shames his own friends.
IT IS LIKE I AM READING THE WORST TINDER BIO EVER WRITTEN. But yet quite possible to exist out there somewhere, the bio under some guy named Rey who lives in Florida and is a republican who hates women.
He also says people feared him at 11, because his parents were killed and he swore revenge. It's like a wish version of Batman. Except Batman is actually cool.
He apparently had a therapist after his parents died. Someone PLEASE GO TAKE THAT GUY'S license, because it obviously didn't work.
Alex, and I quote: "Is not a TOY, so don't play with him unless you want to get hurt" WHAT KIND OF FUCKING TOYS WERE YOU PLAYING WITH WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD YOU PSYCOPATH.
But yeah, Alex's broken record was to please: "stop trying to humanize me, I am your bad guy." He also guarantees people that "biological reactions can be mastered"
Good fucking luck next time you have to sneeze BRO. Hope you don't fucking explode
Our female main character was the SUNSHINE OF THE PARTY! The most giggly adorable girl who apparently "fucks like a porn star" (this author had a really really really weird obsession with porn stars since she mentioned them not once, but four times during her entire book)
Our FMC had her own mother try to drown her, then proceeded to kill herself from guilt. Her ex cheated on her multiple times, abused her physically BUT SHE IS SUUUUUUUUUCH A SUNSHINE and all she needs is to get dicked down to still see the good in people. Fuck therapy.
It's so hilarious that in the desperate need to make this book a tiktok sensation... she added so many things that absolutely don't go together for the sake of hype, but guess what? Tiktok is that predictable. She succeeded.
Now, moving on to the sex scenes. Probably the most hilarious thing I have ever read in my life. Christian Grey comparison aside, we get the most AMAZING LINES I HAVE EVER READ in my book blogger career.
"I am turning you into my fuck doll" (?????????????? I mean if you want her unresponsive... I have something to tell ya...We might need to call you a new therapist, or maybe get you into jail. I haven't decided yet.)
He literally describes the view of her on his bed as a: "sacrificial virgin waiting defilement"
Every time she puts her hand on his dick, she "can feel the power it emanates". I mean, by all means, put a cape on it and give it a marvel contract. 
Well, anyways... a bunch of stupid things happen, this book is MASSIVELY long for some UNKNOWN reason, just like Alex's penis. Near the end, our HEROOOOO threatens the mean girl to destroy HER company, because he has that sort of power, if she doesn't tell him where his girlfriend is. It has the same energy as: "my daddy is a lawyer" in third grade.
It pains me to say this entire review constitutes of quotes from this book, because honestly? It's all I needed. It's embarrassing enough on it's own. I hardly did any work here.
Maybe I will read the next one since you guys love it so much, let's see.
Anyways, my stomach hurts from laughing.
*wipes sweat off brows*
May 16, 2023
the red in the flag that is alex volkov is from all my brain cells he has murdered, and the blood of the people he has actually murdered 😍
everybody who said he begged and grovelled for a year LIED, i hope you guys have to wear wet socks for the rest of ur lives 🤠 he spends half a year preparing to stalk ava, and then does that for the next half. no tears were shed on his end, i demand my money back.
i wanted to be nice to this book just because of how unintentionally hilarious and satirical it was, but then he sang and all of that was out the window.
i respectfully don't care enough about the plot to go into details about it, but if you must know, it was very poorly executed and i did not care one bit for anything that was going on.
i do want to elaborate on the absolute JOY that alex and ava are though 🥰 apparently miss huang agrees bec they're her favorites.
meet, Alex(H): he has a god complex you can't rival, a dick for days, a massive ego, works as a full-time stalker for six months, will get jealous of a fly if it dares to hover around ava for more than a second, thinks he's the most special mf on god's green earth, isn't scared of anything not even wild animals, has HSAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory) that he uses to relive a traumatic event of his past bec he's weird like that, is a walmart version of Christian Grey, and he's so freaking smart that he quadrupled his investments and also became a millionaire in high school because of a technology he invented 🥺💅🏻 doesn't he sound like an absolute bombastic slay?
let me tell you he's acc not. alex is a man written by a woman who has probably never had any interaction w a man before he's so cringey you won't believe it - but I'll let him speak for himself 😵💫
╰─▸ ❝Nothing turned me off more than desperation, which reeked stronger than their perfume.❞
says the guy that left his job and followed ava around for six months like a pathetic loser 🙏🏻
╰─▸ ❝Besides, everyone knew I was the power behind the throne, anyway.❞
power, throne, kingdom - shut ur fucking mouth fr 🤡
╰─▸ ❝It was the same thing that would’ve gone through any red-blooded male’s mind. Sex.❞
misandry looks good on me and u can't tell me otherwise 🥰
╰─▸ ❝Don’t try to humanize me. I’m not a tortured hero from one of your romantic fantasies.❞
oh irony, my old friend
╰─▸ ❝I destroy everything beautiful that comes into my life.❞
he doesn't have emo boi hours, it's his whole personality fr 🙏🏻
╰─▸ ❝You’re about to find out what happens when you invite yourself into the lion’s den.❞
i laughed for a good ten minutes at this.
╰─▸ ❝My quickly hardening cock fit perfectly against her ass, like we were tailor-made for each other. ❞
he's so poetic, shakespeare has got some fierce competition out here (his #1 competitor will always be miles, the ugly in "ugly love" though)
i would inc more, but I'm so fucking tired of his shenanigans. also, he has dirt on every single person you could think of, and his only way of getting things done is by making threats. he has connections in the FBI, he knows court judges, he knows British government officials... everybody in a position of authority? he knows them. ana could've gone as far as saying he took his evening tea with king Charles, and late night snacks with the Pope and it really wouldn't have been far-fetched 🥴
now meet, Ava(h): she's gone thru sm near-death experiences, but always manages to see the good in people. and beyond that and her love for photography and her phobia, i really couldn't tell you what her personality is. but I'll let her speak for herself too:
╰─▸ ❝I didn’t respond, because how was I supposed to tell the man determined to save me that I didn’t want to be saved?❞
and then she wonders why people fuck her over 🤦🏻♀️
╰─▸ ❝Maybe not the “too fast” part, as Alex Volkov had stolen my heart, bit by bit, over the years, even before I thought I liked him.❞
she's so delulu i can't w her
╰─▸ ❝I’m not one of those girls who chases after guys who don’t want them❞
and yet every time y'all have a fallout, it's you who seeks him out? 🤡
even if you zoom real close and try your hardest to see if there's any chemistry between ava and alex, i bet you wouldn't be able to. and I'm a myopic bitch, so it was damn near impossible for me to. the romance if you can even call it that (bec its literally just a bunch of tropes), went from 0 to 100 so fucking fast, it gave me a whiplash. the telling >>>> showing also got on my nerves.
the smut was acc underwhelming, but i'm so salty we didn't get any in the epilogue 😔
anyway, the only person i genuinely feel somewhat interested in is jules. i hope joshy doesn't ruin their book a lot for me xx
-
the cover is atrocious 😭 and i'm probably going to hate this 😭
everybody who said he begged and grovelled for a year LIED, i hope you guys have to wear wet socks for the rest of ur lives 🤠 he spends half a year preparing to stalk ava, and then does that for the next half. no tears were shed on his end, i demand my money back.
i wanted to be nice to this book just because of how unintentionally hilarious and satirical it was, but then he sang and all of that was out the window.
i respectfully don't care enough about the plot to go into details about it, but if you must know, it was very poorly executed and i did not care one bit for anything that was going on.
i do want to elaborate on the absolute JOY that alex and ava are though 🥰 apparently miss huang agrees bec they're her favorites.
meet, Alex(H): he has a god complex you can't rival, a dick for days, a massive ego, works as a full-time stalker for six months, will get jealous of a fly if it dares to hover around ava for more than a second, thinks he's the most special mf on god's green earth, isn't scared of anything not even wild animals, has HSAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory) that he uses to relive a traumatic event of his past bec he's weird like that, is a walmart version of Christian Grey, and he's so freaking smart that he quadrupled his investments and also became a millionaire in high school because of a technology he invented 🥺💅🏻 doesn't he sound like an absolute bombastic slay?
let me tell you he's acc not. alex is a man written by a woman who has probably never had any interaction w a man before he's so cringey you won't believe it - but I'll let him speak for himself 😵💫
╰─▸ ❝Nothing turned me off more than desperation, which reeked stronger than their perfume.❞
says the guy that left his job and followed ava around for six months like a pathetic loser 🙏🏻
╰─▸ ❝Besides, everyone knew I was the power behind the throne, anyway.❞
power, throne, kingdom - shut ur fucking mouth fr 🤡
╰─▸ ❝It was the same thing that would’ve gone through any red-blooded male’s mind. Sex.❞
misandry looks good on me and u can't tell me otherwise 🥰
╰─▸ ❝Don’t try to humanize me. I’m not a tortured hero from one of your romantic fantasies.❞
oh irony, my old friend
╰─▸ ❝I destroy everything beautiful that comes into my life.❞
he doesn't have emo boi hours, it's his whole personality fr 🙏🏻
╰─▸ ❝You’re about to find out what happens when you invite yourself into the lion’s den.❞
i laughed for a good ten minutes at this.
╰─▸ ❝My quickly hardening cock fit perfectly against her ass, like we were tailor-made for each other. ❞
he's so poetic, shakespeare has got some fierce competition out here (his #1 competitor will always be miles, the ugly in "ugly love" though)
i would inc more, but I'm so fucking tired of his shenanigans. also, he has dirt on every single person you could think of, and his only way of getting things done is by making threats. he has connections in the FBI, he knows court judges, he knows British government officials... everybody in a position of authority? he knows them. ana could've gone as far as saying he took his evening tea with king Charles, and late night snacks with the Pope and it really wouldn't have been far-fetched 🥴
now meet, Ava(h): she's gone thru sm near-death experiences, but always manages to see the good in people. and beyond that and her love for photography and her phobia, i really couldn't tell you what her personality is. but I'll let her speak for herself too:
╰─▸ ❝I didn’t respond, because how was I supposed to tell the man determined to save me that I didn’t want to be saved?❞
and then she wonders why people fuck her over 🤦🏻♀️
╰─▸ ❝Maybe not the “too fast” part, as Alex Volkov had stolen my heart, bit by bit, over the years, even before I thought I liked him.❞
she's so delulu i can't w her
╰─▸ ❝I’m not one of those girls who chases after guys who don’t want them❞
and yet every time y'all have a fallout, it's you who seeks him out? 🤡
even if you zoom real close and try your hardest to see if there's any chemistry between ava and alex, i bet you wouldn't be able to. and I'm a myopic bitch, so it was damn near impossible for me to. the romance if you can even call it that (bec its literally just a bunch of tropes), went from 0 to 100 so fucking fast, it gave me a whiplash. the telling >>>> showing also got on my nerves.
the smut was acc underwhelming, but i'm so salty we didn't get any in the epilogue 😔
anyway, the only person i genuinely feel somewhat interested in is jules. i hope joshy doesn't ruin their book a lot for me xx
-
the cover is atrocious 😭 and i'm probably going to hate this 😭
July 29, 2021
3.5 ⭐️ ok y’all this shit was actually good, like the plot and romance was actually so enticing.
ok so basically the plot is girl MC, Ava falls in love with brothers best friend and brothers best friend is a textbook genius with an IQ of 160 named Alex
Alex checks all the boxes tall, brooding, dark haired, god complex, rich af, ect.
Tell me why i wanted to slap this mf so hard at some points? literally his brooding-ness was so frustrating at times i’m like BITCH SHUT UP. but don’t get me wrong i’d let this man have his way with me.
Ava - (she’s Chinese-American ayyy let’s go east asian rep!) i really liked her characterization and character development in this story. she was kinda annoying in the beginning but baby girl pulled through and faced all her trauma by HERSELF and thanks to no man! queen shit!
not gonna lie there were some hella cringe scenes that had me laughing out loud. i was giggling and laughing so mf hard. honestly that’s on me and my twisted sense of humor.
i literally cannot wait for the next book because it’s a bodyguard/forbidden romance and i just KNOW it’s gonna top this one. I FUCKING KNOW IT. it comes out july 29th btw
ok so basically the plot is girl MC, Ava falls in love with brothers best friend and brothers best friend is a textbook genius with an IQ of 160 named Alex
Alex checks all the boxes tall, brooding, dark haired, god complex, rich af, ect.
Tell me why i wanted to slap this mf so hard at some points? literally his brooding-ness was so frustrating at times i’m like BITCH SHUT UP. but don’t get me wrong i’d let this man have his way with me.
Ava - (she’s Chinese-American ayyy let’s go east asian rep!) i really liked her characterization and character development in this story. she was kinda annoying in the beginning but baby girl pulled through and faced all her trauma by HERSELF and thanks to no man! queen shit!
not gonna lie there were some hella cringe scenes that had me laughing out loud. i was giggling and laughing so mf hard. honestly that’s on me and my twisted sense of humor.
i literally cannot wait for the next book because it’s a bodyguard/forbidden romance and i just KNOW it’s gonna top this one. I FUCKING KNOW IT. it comes out july 29th btw
June 2, 2023
Here me out: Alex kept talking about how Ava won’t be able to handle his “dark side” also referring to sex so I kind of expected him to be into idk maybe BDSM but nooo. He just liked other stuff than the missionary position. I expected more for how dramatic he was about it so I kind of laughed out loud when I read that.
I also didn’t really like the way he talked and he would say the most random sexual phrases that made zero sense at that time so I just kept cringing when he talked.
Let’s not even talk about that one specific scene… (cough y/n singing this is my fight song).
Plot wise I was invested because of Ava’s past and I wanted to know about this fictional world but I didn’t personally vibe with the plot twist. It made sense but also not at all?
November 2, 2022
classic case of “i would never tolerate this mans behaviour in real life, but i cant get enough of it in books” kind of romance.
i would say we should all form a support group, but im pretty sure thats what booktok has become by this point. lol.
↠ 3.5 stars
i would say we should all form a support group, but im pretty sure thats what booktok has become by this point. lol.
↠ 3.5 stars
May 4, 2021
this book didn't understand the assignment
July 24, 2021
people who said this book was good lied
May 21, 2023
to a potential future kidnapper: want to torture me? make me reread this 😃
July 20, 2021
I was going to give this two stars but then my dude started singing and I simply could not.
July 20, 2022
alex volkov, i want u behind bars <3
October 1, 2021
so stupid god bless
April 10, 2022
i literally did not sign up for a murder mystery. and why did he sing??? horrific
February 4, 2022
Anyone who told me this book was good literally lied to my face
January 7, 2025
was i supposed to like this?? and why did it sing
September 28, 2023
I know Alex is supposed to a pOsSeSiVe aLpHa or whatever but that man just scared me lol
Me to Alex: BACK🤺OFF🤺WHITE🤺MAN
Me to Alex: BACK🤺OFF🤺WHITE🤺MAN
August 13, 2022
the cringe i felt when alex started singing😀
June 14, 2022
Spent several days in a Twisted Series induced trance, regret nothing, 8 million stars out of 5
October 27, 2022
with peace and love: i want my $4.99 back and damages paid for the time spent abusing my brain cells and withstanding the cringey one liners💀
January 14, 2023
ngl this book could kill a small Victorian child
I LOST IT WHEN HE STARTED SINGING 😭😭😭
I LOST IT WHEN HE STARTED SINGING 😭😭😭
April 12, 2023
where's simon cowell when you need him
January 13, 2024
I was already hanging on for dear life and then he started to sing 👀🤦♀️
January 21, 2022
“You are the light to my dark. Without you, I���m lost.”
i started this book because i had fomo. who tf let me??? oh and i also finished this book because a hate review came with it so duh thats a bonus
this book was…. lacking in all kinds of ways and i seriously was just not into it at all. people who like this book have weird brains. im saying that in the nicest way possible… maybe
the plot? cliche.
the romance? cringe.
the characters? bland.
the book? A TOTAL DISASTER.
also please remember : CHECK TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE READING BUT DONT EVEN BOTHER BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS TERRIBLE. RUN AWAY !!
nothing in this book intrigued me and 99% of it either gave me the icks or made me want to jump into an endless void. yes i hated this book but also yes im finishing the bloody series sigh
PLOT ˎˊ˗
ava chen is just a normal college girl who has a protective brother, josh chen. low and behold, joshy has a ”mysterious, bad boy, rich, smart” best friend, alex volkov. ava has a broken past that, oh no she cant just figure out and would you believe it?? so does alex. trauma haunts both of us and so they both turn to each other to basically seek solitude but then realise that will most likely all. go. to. shit. how lovely right?
the plot was just so boring to me. it was really cliche and it was so predictable i probably dozed off so many times i can’t remember the story
like the plot twist?? not even that amazing and was just like squashed under their romance anyway so i see no point in it tbh
in short, wasnt my vibe
the beginning was a huge snooze with really nothing going on. plus we then have some crazy bullshit get pulled?? like alex is a full psycho killing stalker maniac and ava still wants him??? spare me the headache PLEASE
ROMANCE ˎˊ˗
the romance had me puking on the floor. it was so cringe. so incredibly cringy i was ready to sell my eyes on the black market wtf.
maybe the smut wasnt my type of thing?? well thats what i thought BUT its honestly just because its alex volkov doing all those things. if it was anyone else i wouldnt mind i just have an issue with HIM
“Get up,” he said, his voice soft but so commanding I obeyed without thinking. “You’re about to find out what happens when you invite yourself into the lion’s den.”
just say youre a furry and move along jeez. how can he say this and ava not be shitting her pants laughing??
again, THE ROMANCE WAS NOT IT. if someone would care to enlighten me on how their romance made any sense. usually i would say ”oh im all ears” no fuck that keep those reasons to yourself <3
CHARACTERS ˎˊ˗
ava chen :
⤷ she was definitely way too trusting which at first i honestly didnt mind and didnt see it was an issue but then when fucking alex volkov is a literal walking red flag and this woman is just like ”oh but i love him and miss him who cares if he killed 2 people and stalked me for a year”
like what the fuck???
and her whole ex situation was so random. it was like ”what is the easiest most boring way to add some spice into my story so the male mc can be jealous” type of vibes
news flash : cheating psycho ex is no better than moving on to a psycho killing stalker
by the end of the book, i was sick of her
alex volkov :
⤷ i dont hate many male mcs but boy oh boy did this man literally make me want to just throw him a free funeral
like wow he’s rich and smart. does that just automatically mean we just forget about all the shit he did?? ITS JUST SO FUCKING UNREALISTIC IDK WHAT ELSE TO SAY
yes its a fiction book but like it just didn’t add up. ive read more unrealistic books than this yet they were done so much better??
he gave me the actual icks SO BAD and i really couldnt stand him. the way ava told him that she hated him and didnt want to be involved with him but he would be like ”well too bad youre mine and im gonna wait” like what..?
he followed her around FOR A FUCKING YEAR in another fucking country and idk waited for her to forgive him. its the way that he did it that made it 10x creepier and not romantic at all. someone get this man into like those love sessions with a love professional idfk
in conclusion, i hate him. he can burn.
im too lazy to do each side character because the book isnt good enough for me to put that much effort.
CONCLUSION ˎˊ˗
i hate this book. i wasted my life. i want to go home and sleep but i am home tf am i saying… this book is making me stupid. send help ok bye <3
October 23, 2022
{reread number one} I just realised that Alex Volkov is Sheldon Cooper if Sheldon Cooper was hot and sexually active
big dick energy right here
big dick energy right here
December 28, 2023
alex volkov is an andrew tate stan
September 3, 2024
a poet once said "Alex has a d!ck for days." and i think it’s beautiful.🫶🏼
April 2, 2023
alex and ava are the worst twisted couple. avas so boring. alex does nothing for me.
im gonna pretend the singing did NOT happen. miss me w the singing man act.
im gonna pretend the singing did NOT happen. miss me w the singing man act.
April 29, 2021
this was so good! i devoured it in one sitting!
🔥 brothers best friend
🔥 hates everyone but her
🔥 grumpy/sunshine
the chemistry was off the charts between these characters and it had a much darker & action-packed plot then i was expecting but i loved that! i can't wait to read the next book in the series (which is going to be a princess/bodyguard romance!)
🔥 brothers best friend
🔥 hates everyone but her
🔥 grumpy/sunshine
the chemistry was off the charts between these characters and it had a much darker & action-packed plot then i was expecting but i loved that! i can't wait to read the next book in the series (which is going to be a princess/bodyguard romance!)
October 12, 2022
if I ever get the chance to meet Alex volkov, I’d run a thousand miles per second in the opposite direction. He’s a walking red flag lol.
March 30, 2025
Never, in my history of hating dominating men, have i hated a man as much as i hate Alex Volkov.
First of all, what is up with the covers. I just - STOP. LOOK AT IT. I mentally gag everytime i see it. Now onto the point which is: this book. Let's make a checklist of the things that we have in this book:
alexxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Okay. EVERYTIME I READ HIS NAME I HAVE SUCH A VISCERAL REACTION THAT I NEED TO COUNT TO 10.
He is constitued of every single quality that i hate in man. Boy thinks he's darker than a *insert a dark thing here cause idk a dark thing*. He basically sucks. According to Alex, everyone around him is the definition of stupid 🤩. Don't you just loooooove it when your male mc is an ✨intellectual snobberist✨?? He is supposed to be a CEO or whatever the fuck BUT he has a single thought in his head. His dick. And he thinks about it alllll the freaking time like it's the most prized possession in the entire world.
He possesses qualities like:
bah humbug.
For a person with some bajillion level IQ, Alex sure was sharp as a marble <3 and he's sooooooooooo clever that he gave the most unique, never before seen, amazing, distinctive nickname ever: S U N S H I N E 👏👏👏 (sunshine is a cute nickname only when it comes from the right person, let me just hate this man in peace)
And then there's Ava. She is sooooooo sunshine-y and cute because even tho every bad thing has happened to her, SHE WAS BRAVE IN THE FACE OF EVIL.
However, Alex lying to her turned off her light that freaking glowed from her intestines bah whatever. You're telling me that you're more broken over your boyfriend of less than one year leaving you than your one parent supposedly drowning you :))) THE FUCK?
And then there were the sex scenes. Let's read an excerpt:
THE. FUCK. Now dark and dangerous men in books are shoving your underwear in your mouth. I'm sorry WHAT ABOUT HYGIENE 🤡🤡🤡 ??? That was so disgusting i had to (literally) stop myself from not vomiting. idk what anyone says.
Also a very important question: WHY DIDN'T THEY NOTICE EACH OTHER FOR EIGHT YEARS. In the first chapter, Ava mentions that they haven't talked this much since 5ever. GIRL?? Are you kidding me? You just suddenly, randomly, one day decided to be wet for him *guffaws*. dumbasses.
There are more things i should mention but i don't want to spend another mintue talking about Alex. goodBYE *throws book into space*
First of all, what is up with the covers. I just - STOP. LOOK AT IT. I mentally gag everytime i see it. Now onto the point which is: this book. Let's make a checklist of the things that we have in this book:
• cringe
• STUPIDITY
• Alex thinking that the entire world revolves around him
• an absolutely brilliant assortment of the most stupidest side characters i've ever seen
• sunshine *gags*
• the absolute, most coolest, cleverest quote to exist ever: You are the light to my dark
• bad writing
• every. single. popular. trope. you can think of. existing. in. this book.
• an absolutely boring side plot going on
• PURE PHYSICAL ATTRACTION
alexxxxxxxxxxxxxx. Okay. EVERYTIME I READ HIS NAME I HAVE SUCH A VISCERAL REACTION THAT I NEED TO COUNT TO 10.
He is constitued of every single quality that i hate in man. Boy thinks he's darker than a *insert a dark thing here cause idk a dark thing*. He basically sucks. According to Alex, everyone around him is the definition of stupid 🤩. Don't you just loooooove it when your male mc is an ✨intellectual snobberist✨?? He is supposed to be a CEO or whatever the fuck BUT he has a single thought in his head. His dick. And he thinks about it alllll the freaking time like it's the most prized possession in the entire world.
He possesses qualities like:
1. He is soooo dark that people were scared of him even when he was 11 :)
2. He is so clever that he was giving ✨a d v i c e✨ to people 50 years older than him on how to run a freaking company.
3. He is sooooooooooooooo intimidating that he can go to his gf's place of work and threaten the guy - because see the guy has no spine (obviously) and he is totally scum and OBVIOUSLY he saw the "darkness" dripping from Alex's eyes and OBVIOUSLY he would let some guy he doesn't even know step all over him 🥺🥺🥺
bah humbug.
For a person with some bajillion level IQ, Alex sure was sharp as a marble <3 and he's sooooooooooo clever that he gave the most unique, never before seen, amazing, distinctive nickname ever: S U N S H I N E 👏👏👏 (sunshine is a cute nickname only when it comes from the right person, let me just hate this man in peace)
And then there's Ava. She is sooooooo sunshine-y and cute because even tho every bad thing has happened to her, SHE WAS BRAVE IN THE FACE OF EVIL.
However, Alex lying to her turned off her light that freaking glowed from her intestines bah whatever. You're telling me that you're more broken over your boyfriend of less than one year leaving you than your one parent supposedly drowning you :))) THE FUCK?
And then there were the sex scenes. Let's read an excerpt:
“I hope you’re not attached to your underwear,” he said.
My brows drew together. “Wha—” The sound of fabric tearing answered my incomplete question.
Alex’s mouth curled into a sly grin at my shocked expression. “Since we’ve established that you’re a screamer,” he said. “Open your mouth.”
My resistance collapsed.
I opened my mouth, and he shoved my underwear in, muffling my moan. I shivered when I tasted the slickness of my arousal.
THE. FUCK. Now dark and dangerous men in books are shoving your underwear in your mouth. I'm sorry WHAT ABOUT HYGIENE 🤡🤡🤡 ??? That was so disgusting i had to (literally) stop myself from not vomiting. idk what anyone says.
Also a very important question: WHY DIDN'T THEY NOTICE EACH OTHER FOR EIGHT YEARS. In the first chapter, Ava mentions that they haven't talked this much since 5ever. GIRL?? Are you kidding me? You just suddenly, randomly, one day decided to be wet for him *guffaws*. dumbasses.
There are more things i should mention but i don't want to spend another mintue talking about Alex. goodBYE *throws book into space*
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